DON’T Make These Disney Park Pass Mistakes

Walt Disney World has been using the Disney Park Pass reservation system since the parks reopened in July 2020, and it’s pretty clear this system is not going anywhere anytime soon.

With Disney World’s Park Pass reservation system, guests must reserve days in available Disney Parks before they are able to enter a park. Even Disney World’s new Annual Pass program intertwines with the Park Pass system, with each pass granting passholders a certain number of park reservations at a time.

So is there a right or wrong way to make a Disney Park Pass reservation? Not exactly, but there ARE some mistakes you can make, so we’re here to tell you exactly how to avoid them!

Not Checking Park Reservations

Park reservations “sell out,” and it’s important to check the available reservations on Disney World’s website before you plan a trip or as soon as you know what dates you’ll be visiting. That way, you can plan your trip based on what is or is not available.

You can view available park reservations on Disney World’s website. Currently, you can make park reservations through early 2023, so if you have a trip planned anytime in 2022, you can already make your park reservations!

Click here for more info about the Disney World Park Pass reservation system!

Not Checking Park Hours

Depending on the park, Disney Parks open as early as 8AM or as late as 11AM, so you might want to consider reserving a park with an earlier opening time for your first park. Park hopping begins at 2PM, so if you want to spend a lot of time at your first park, prioritize the park with earlier hours.

Check park closing times, too. If you don’t plan to Park Hop, you might want to reserve a park with a later closing time to spend as much time as you can in the park. If you do plan to park hop, maybe choose to visit the park with the later closing time for your second park of the day. For example, Disney’s Animal Kingdom now typically closes at 7PM, which is still pretty early if you were hoping to spend your entire evening in a the park. But because Animal Kingdom generally opens at 8AM, it can make a great park to visit first, then you can hop to a park with a later closing time so you can fill your day!

Here are the Disney World park hours through early November!

Park Hopping

Schedule your park reservation for the Disney Park you want begin your day with. Don’t make a reservation for the park you want to park hop to instead of the one you want to visit first. You cannot park hop without a Park Pass reservation, and you must visit the park you reserved before you are allowed to park hop.

Remember, park hopping takes place after 2PM, so you need to make plans to hit your park reservation first BEFORE you can park hop. If you don’t arrive at your first park until after 2PM, you still need to visit the park you reserved first before you can park hop.

Learn about the best Disney World park hopping combos here!

Procrastinating Reservations

As we mentioned above, park reservations are limited, so don’t procrastinate! It’s possible you can find last minute park reservations, but if you want to play it safe, reserve your parks as soon as possible.

You don’t want to get everything else planned out for your Disney World visit only to find out your favorite parks are full on your dates, so make sure you add “make park pass reservations” to the top of your Disney World to-do list.

Not Re-Checking Pass Availabilities

Keep checking Disney World’s website constantly for updates! Availability can change so if you can’t get the park reservation you wanted, reserve a Park Pass for what is available (just in case), but be sure to check back in case the park you wanted originally becomes available later.

We’ve seen Park Passes added for Disney World’s 50th anniversary, so it IS possible for Disney to add more park reservations. Don’t give up; you can plan to park hop after 2PM if you don’t get to book your first choice! Remember that you must have a park reservation to park hop, and you must first use your Park Pass before you can park hop.

Here are the available Park Passes for Disney World’s 50th anniversary!

When you’re making your Disney Work park reservations, make sure to consult this list so you can have your best AND stress-free Disney visit. Keep reading AllEars for all your Disney World planning needs!